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drinks Monday 4 August 08
Sarah Kendall
Verdict: Legendary
It’s hot and buzzing at The Pleasance. There are queues down the street on either side of the gateway, the frenzy fuelled by poster-pushers.
The richness of choice can bust your head in after a few days at Edinburgh (writes Cecilia Holmes). And there’s always the prospect that just at that moment you’re missing the performance of a lifetime from someone on the edge of fame and recognition.
Like the legendary Sarah Kendall - shortly to be one of the nominees for the Perrier on Saturday.
The more fuss and heat around a performer, the greater the pressure on them. So it’s no surprise to see her walk into a tightly-packed upstairs room looking a little sweaty and slightly freaked. Not for long, though. Sarah Kendall is in her stride within seconds – in a room breathing droplet infection.
Wow. Apart from her talent, this Aussie has looks straight out of Emily Bronte. Her pre-Raphaelite tresses waft in the overhead lights - long flame-red hair, partly tied-up in a dishevelled knot. They’re so tantalisingly messy.
Sarah Kendall’s a slightly off-centre sort of girl with a very intense gaze. It’s probably made more intense by the proximity of the moment - and the performance adrenalin and guts needed to stand and deliver. She delivers.
And the audience is behind her. Her persona is the gawky girl who makes lots of faux pas - especially when drunk. She’s the girl who puts her foot in it at hen parties, and is crap with hecklers – with the suspicion that this may be exaggerated.
Sarah Kendall’s dramatic use of voice and body cuts through the natural tedium audiences feel after 20 minutes. She gets tension working for her as the room heats up. As she notes, someone farting in here could lead to a mass exodus - or a lingering egg-breath.
It’s a performance propelled by tension and well-observed content – the awkwardness of socialising. There are fresh, well-described stories. It’s articulate, highly intelligent, real, and edgy.
Cast Credits (alpha order): Sarah Kendall
Company Credits: Technical Operation - Venue Staff.
END
(c) Cecilia Holmes 2004
reviewed 25 August 04 / Pleasance Courtyard
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2008
